News and views about the implementation of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act 2009 and other legislation, schemes and policies impacting the Right to Education of India's Children.

About Me

Saturday, March 23, 2013

Ban child labour in agriculture: Activists

Ban child labour in agriculture: Activists

PTI | 09:06 PM,Jun 12,2012http://ibnlive.in.com/generalnewsfeed/news/ban-child-labour-in-agriculture-activists/1010918.html
Kolkata, Jun 12 (PTI) On the occasion of World Day
Against Child Labour today, child rights activists demanded a
ban on child labour in the agriculture sector where nearly 70
per cent of India's child labourers work.
Pointing put that under the Child Labour Act,
agriculture sector falls under the non-hazardous category and
remains out of the purview of the Act, international NGO Save
the Children's CEO Thomas Chandy said an amendment is needed
urgently.
"There should be no distinction between hazardous and
non-hazardous work for children upto the age of 14 years.
There should be a complete ban on all forms of child labour
till this age," he said in a statement.
Having the largest child population in the world at
440 million, India also has the highest number of child
labourers.
According to the 2001 Census, there are 1.26 crores
economically active children in the age-group of 5-14 years.
Among the states, Uttar Pradesh accounts for a larger
share of close to one fourth of all child labour in India
followed by Andhra Pradesh.
The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights
(NCPCR) chairperson Shanta Sinha said, "It is hoped that there
are strong legal instruments to abolish all forms of child
labour for adolescents in the age group of 14 to 18 years".
A joint statement by NCPCR, ILO and UNICEF called for
ratification of international instruments against child labour
in an unequivocal manner and renewing of existing anti-child
labour legislation and policies and adapting them to the Right
of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 and
Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection) Act, 2000. PTI NIK
RG